Wednesday, February 29, 2012

We roast the coffee beans at home, grind them, brew a cup of coffee, those coffee powder left on the paper filter, I dry it under the sun. I use it as the fertilizer for the flowers. Look, these are my flowers.....

The consumption for coffee is soaring up recently. Each of the coffee shop in Korea has their unique interior decoration. My husband he likes self roasting coffee,roast it,grind it...100% home made coffee...Coffee was first consumed in the 9th
century,when it was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia.From there,it spread
to Egypt & Yemen & by the 15th century had reached Armenia,Persia,Turkey
& North Africa.From the Muslim world,coffee spread to Italy,then to the rest
of Europe & Americas.The word "coffee" comes from the Italian
"caffe".

Coffee berries, which contain the
coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the
genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown species are Coffea canephora (also
known as Coffea robusta) and Coffea arabica. These are cultivated in Latin
America, southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked,
processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical
and chemical changes. be prepared and presented by a variety of
methods.

Coffee bean can be sold roasted by the supplier, or it can be home
roasted. The
roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee
bean both physically and chemically. The bean decreases in weight as moisture is
lost and increases in volume, causing it to become less dense. The density of
the bean also influences the strength of the coffee and requirements for
packaging.
The actual roasting begins when the temperature inside the bean reaches
approximately 200 °C(392 °F), though different varieties of beans
differ in moisture and density and therefore roast at different rate During
roasting, caramelization
occurs as intense heat breaks down starches in the bean, changing them to simple
sugars that begin to brown, changing the color of the bean.Sucrose is rapidly lost during the
roasting process and may disappear entirely in darker roasts. During roasting,
aromatic oils and acids weaken, changing the flavor; at 205 °C(401 °F), other oils start to develop. One of these
oils is caffeol, created at about 200
°C(392 °F), which is largely
responsible for coffee's aroma and flavor.

Depending on the color of the roasted beans as perceived by the human eye,
they will be labeled as light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark, or very
dark. A more accurate method of discerning the degree of roast involves
measuring the reflected light from roasted beans illuminated with a light source
in the near infrared spectrum.

炒好的咖啡豆，放在这机器上将咖啡豆磨成粉。
Coffee beans grinder.

炒好后的咖啡豆，必须放在的机器上，将咖啡豆在最短的时间内吹冷。。。After the coffee beans has been roasted, put
on this cooling machine .....

Once brewed, coffee may be served in a variety of ways. Drip-brewed,
percolated, or French-pressed/cafetière coffee may be served as white
coffee with a dairy product such as milk or cream, or dairy substitute, or
as black coffee with no such addition. It may be sweetened with sugar or
artificial sweetener. When served cold, it is called iced coffee.
Espresso-based coffee has a wide variety of possible presentations. In its
most basic form, espresso is served alone as a shot or with hot water
added, known as Caffè Americano. Reversely, long black is made by pouring
espresso in water, which retains the crema compared to Caffè Americano. Milk is
added in various forms to espresso: steamed milk makes a caffè latte, equal parts
steamed milk and milk froth make a cappuccino] and a
dollop of hot foamed milk on top creates a
caffè
macchiato. The use of steamed
milk to form patterns such as hearts or maple leaves is referred to as latte art.
Coffee can also be incorporated with alcohol in beverages—it is combined with
whiskey in Irish coffee,
and forms the base of alcoholic coffee liqueurs such as Kahlúa, and Tia Maria.

Method:
1. Prepare 10 cups of anchovy broth,add salt to taste, this broth must be hot,set aside.
2. Separate the egg yolk and white, make thin sheet of each and cut into thin strips.
3. Carrot, zucchini, peeled and sliced thin.
4. Mushroom, sliced ( Today I use Enoki mushroom,therefore, no need to slice)
5. Fry the carrot,zucchini,mushroom separately with the oil,salt and garlic, set aside.
6. Finally, boil a pot of water,cook the noodles in boiling water.Stir them with a spoon to prevent
them sticking together.Rinse them in cold water for a couple of times, drain them. The noodles will
expand and lose their chewiness as time passes, so the last step of preparing this dish is always cooking
the noodles.The noodles should be chewy. When you cook the noodles, it is better to put much water,
because the noodles will absorb the water.
7. Put the noodles in a bowl, garnish with carrot,zucchini,egg yolk & white,green onion, finally pour in the
anchovy broth,sprinkle the pepper before serve.
( When you eat this noodles with the kimchi, it will be more delicious )

Saturday, February 25, 2012

在韩国，春季是八爪鱼盛产的季节。八爪鱼的吃法也多样化，除了辣酱八爪鱼，还有八爪鱼火锅，八爪鱼煎饼等，更简单的吃法是将八爪鱼放入热水烫熟后沾酸甜辣酱吃。。。。
In Korea, Spring is the harvest season for webfoot octopus.There are various ways for eating this,e.g fry webfoot octopus with red pepper sauce,webfoot octopus steamboat, webfoot pancake etc, the most simple and easy way is to boil it in the hot water and serve with sweet vinegar red pepper sauce......
(This recipe is written in Chinese & English )

Method:
1. Remove the webfoot octopus's intestines,wash and clean .
2. Use the flour and salt to "massage' the webfoot octopus,rinse and drain.
3. Cut the webfoot octopus into 1/2 or 1/3.
4. Slice the onion, green chili,carrot,sweet potato; cut the green onion.
5. Mix well all the seasoning.set aside.
6. Pour the vegetable oil in the fry pan, fry the vegetables until soft, add in webfoot octopus and the
seasoning, stir well and fry well.
7. Garnish with the sesame seeds before serve.
(P/s: If you visit the restaurant in Korea to take this cuisine, when the customer have eaten this food and still left some more ,the waitress will add the rice,seaweed,sesame oil etc, to fry the rice for the customer,the taste is very good.....you may do this at home too.)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

泡菜汤，韩文的发音为 “ Kimchi Jigae", 在韩国是家户喻晓的，几乎是人人对它爱不释手的家常便饭。泡菜汤的主要材料是发酵已久的泡菜，再随个人的喜爱加上猪肉，香肠，豆腐等配料。刚做成的泡菜是不用来煮泡菜汤的，发酵越久的泡菜，所含的酵母菌就越多。新鲜的泡菜是煮不出来那香醇的味道。。。。
"Jigae" is a Korean dish similar to a Western stew. Kimchi Jigae is often cooked in Korean homes using older,more fermented kimchi, creating a much stronger taste and containing higher amounts of bacteria as found in yogurt. The stew is said to be more flavorful if prepared with older kimchi, while fresh kimchi may not bring out a full and rich flavor. Kimchi is the most important ingredient and other ingredients ,such as pork,sausage,tuna,tofu, it depends on personal preferences.

Method:
1. Prepared 2 1/2 cup of anchovy broth, set aside ( or use water ).
2. Slice the kimchi,put into the clay pot ( generally, Korean like to use clay pot to cook this dish, if you
don't have, can use any pot).
3. Mix the red pepper powder and red pepper paste well,use it to fry the kimchi with medium heat ( no
vegetable oil is required), for about 5 minutes.
4. Put the tofu,sausage,canned tuna into the pot, pour in the broth, boil it.
5. Boil it for about 20 minutes, add in green pepper,green onion,garlic, boil it for another 5 minutes.
6. Serve it with steamed rice.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

韩式传统米糕，主要的材料是以白米粉或糯米粉制成，而非面粉。把白米或糯米洗干净后，泡浸在水中；夏天约需
5 -6个小时，冬天则
6-8个小时。泡浸后，濾乾水份，拿到米糕店(떡집)去磨成粉状。所采用的都是天然色素，如艾草粉（쑥가루)，南瓜粉(단호박가루),綠茶粉(녹차가루),覆盆·子·汁(복분자즙)
等。。。。这南瓜米糕蛋糕是用新鲜的南瓜，白米粉和糖制成的。。。。The
main ingredients for the traditional Korean rice cake are rice powder or
glutinous rice powder, not flour.Wash the rice or glutinous rice ,soak in the
water for 5-6 hours in summer, for 6-8 hours in winter.Rinse and drain, bring it
to the rice cake shop to grind. Use the pumpkin powder,green tea powder
,raspberry powder,etc for colouring instead of artificial colouring......I used
the fresh pumpkin,rice powder and sugar to make this pumpkin rice cake
....

做法：1.
先煮滚一锅的水，待用。在韩国有专用来蒸米糕的锅，称为“물솥“。2.
将白米粉，南瓜泥和水混合均匀后，放入筛子筛 2次。如果水份太多，成了糊状，很难筛；若配的好，筛出来的米粉，是很轻盈。3.
把白糖加入已筛过的米粉内，混均后，放入竹制的蒸笼里（대나무찜기)。在未放入蒸笼之前，蒸笼内要放一块与蒸笼面积一样大的紗布
（시루밑)，撒些糖在其表面然后才轻轻的将米粉放入。4.将竹制蒸笼内的米粉，表面弄平。5.将蒸笼放在已煮滚热水的锅上，蒸
20-25 分钟。熄火，先不要打开蒸笼的盖子，让它在锅上待上 5 分钟后，才将蒸笼离开锅子。6.
在一大碟子上铺上一张大张的塑胶纸（可利用塑胶袋，将它剪开，平铺在碟子上），将蒸笼内的米糕倒在碟子上；再用另一个大碟放在米糕的表面，将下面的碟子连同米糕一起倒反过来，拿掉塑胶纸。7.趁热的时候，
在米糕的表面放上南瓜子作装饰。稍后才放上草莓和小南瓜。（我将约
100 g南瓜米团，搓成3个南瓜模样的米糕，里面放了芝麻和糖做馅，放在另一个蒸笼将它们蒸熟，作装饰用）Ingredients:rice
powder 5 cup ( soak the rice in the water and grind it)sugar
5Tspwater
2 Tsp (p/s:even though the amount required is 2 Tsp as stated in the recipe, it
still depends on the rice powder,whether it is still wet or dry after grinding.
You may add some more water or reduce, you have to learn it from your experience
; from the feeling when you touch the rice powder)1/2
fresh small pumpkin,slice and steam; smash it strawberry,
pumpkin seed for decorationMethod:1.
Boil the water, set aside. In Korea we have special water pot for steaming the
rice cake,we call it "물솥"2.
Mixed the rice powder,pumpkin paste and water, sift for twice. If it is too
wet, is difficult to sift; in contrast,the mixture should be very light and
soft.3.
Add in the sugar,mix well. Put the mixture in the bamboo steamer (대나무찜기).Before
you put it, should put a piece of cloth (시루밀) in the steamer,sprinkle some sugar
on the surface of the cloth,then put in the mixture .4.
Make sure that the surface is flat.5.
Steam it for 20-25 minutes. Switch off the fire, don't remove it, and also don't
open the cover of the steamer, set aside for about 5 minutes.6.
Put a piece of big plastic on the dish , put the steamer and the rice cake on
top of it, take off the steamer;put another
big dish on the surface of the rice cake,turn over the dish on the bottom and
remove the plastic.7.
Put the pumpkin seeds on the surface of the rice cake while it is still hot for
decoration. Later on,put the strawberries and small pumpkins.(
I use about 100g pumpkin dough , make 3 small pumpkin, add sesame seeds and
sugar as the paste,steam it, for decoration )“I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Korea, hosted by Sharon of Feats of Feasts.

Ingredients:
pumpkin 300g
water 200ml ( if you steam the pumpkin, then , is no need to add 200ml with the pumpkin)
glutinous rice flour 30g
water 200ml ( mix with the glutinous rice flour)
salt 2g
sugar 15g
pine nuts ( for decoration, optional )

Method:
1. Peel the skin of the pumpkin and get rid off the seeds, wash, cut it into small cube form.
2. Put the pumpkin and 200ml water in a pot and cook it, till well cooked and soft ( or you may steam the
pumpkin).
3. Put the cooked pumpkin (don't pour away the water) together with the water in the blender,blend it.
4. Add 200ml water with the glutinous rice flour, mix well, set aside.
5. Put the blended pumpkin, glutinous rice water, sugar and salt in a pot, boil it ( if you think the puree is too
sticky, you may add in some more water).
6. Garnish it with the pine nuts.

Monday, February 13, 2012

In Korea, not only the lovers will celebrate the Valentine Day on the 14th Feb; among the friends, relatives, colleagues or even the students from the kindergartens will give the chocolates to each other.....................

My eldest daughter made these chocolates for her daddy after
work, when her daddy was sleeping.( In Korea,there is such a custom, ladies will
give the chocolates to men on the 14th Feb; in contrast, men will present
candies to ladies on the 14th of Mar )

一般上，韩国人喜欢加热水在锅巴，稍煮后，就这样吃；在韩国的一些韩食餐馆或中华料理餐馆，是可嚐到锅巴的其他料理方法。。。。。
Generally, Korean like to add hot water, slightly cook the crust overcooked rice and eat; some of the Korean restaurants or Chinese restaurants in Korea, they also provide dishes by using crust overcooked rice as the ingredient.......
(This recipe is written in Chinese & English)

Method :
1. Put the cooking oil in a pot, fry the crust overcooked rice ( about l80 degree C ); if the oil is not hot enough, then, the crust overcooked rice will not be expanded and crispy, set aside.
2. Get rid off the shell of the shrimp, slice the cutter fish, slice the button mushroom.
3. In another pot, add in 1Tsp of cooking oil,fry the garlic and ginger, till fragrant; add in shrimp,cutter fish and button mushroom; add in pepper, oyster sauce,fry all the ingredients, till fragrant, add in the corn starch water ( please adjust the gravy whether is sticky or not ) , if the taste is not salty , can add in salt ; finally, add in sesame oil and spring onion.
4. Put the fried crust overcooked rice on the plate, pour the ( 3) on top of it.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Korea started to import Kiwi from New Zealand in 1974, it was cultivated in Korea at the southern part since 1980. Now, big and sweet local kiwi are available at the supermarkets in Korea. We eat kiwi as a fruit,it is also a good ingredient for making salad, use it to marinate the meat,will be more tender... Today, I am going to introduce this salad by using kiwi,chestnut,vegetables' sprouts,broccoli and Korean rice cake as main ingredients, serve it with kiwi sauce....

( This recipe is written in Chinese & English )

材料：

kiwi 1 粒

西兰菜又称綠花菜 50g

栗子 3粒

各种蔬菜幼苗 50g

韩式米糕 60g （可不放）

kiwi 沙拉酱：

kiwi 1 粒

醋 1/2Tsp

白糖 1/2Tsp

Cider juice （ or other juice） 4 Tsp

mayonnaise 1Tsp

盐 1/4tsp

做法：

1. 将 Kiwi 去皮，切成片状。

2. 切了西兰菜后，用热水烫一回。

3. 将栗子切成片状。

4. 将韩式米糕切成块状，在平锅上煎至表面呈金黄色（不加油）。

5. 洗干净幼苗。

6. 将沙拉酱的材料，全放入搅拌器内搅拌。

7. 将所有的蔬菜材料放在盘上，淋上酱料享用。

Ingredients:

kiwi 1

broccoli 50g

chestnuts 3 pieces

vegetable sprouts 50g

Korean style rice cake 60g ( optional )

Kiwi sauce:

kiwi 1

vinegar 1/2 Tsp

sugar 1/2 Tsp

cider juice ( or other juice ) 4 Tsp

mayonnaise 1 Tsp

salt 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin of kiwi, slice it.

2. Cut the broccoli, blanch in the boiling water.

3. Slice the chestnuts.

4. Cut the Korean rice cake,fry it in the fry pan without oil, until the surface turns golden brown color.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Ogokbap or five-grains rice is a kind of Korean food made of a bowl of steamed rice mixed with grains including barley, foxtail millet, millet and soy beans] Ogokbap
usually served during the end of winter,
especially on the first full
moon of the year (jeongwol daeboreum). In the past, many
Koreans ate foods lacking nutritional value during the long winter because
such foods were scarce. Anticipating these problems, they dried the grains
before the coming of the winter to fulfill the winter’s meals. On the night of
jeongwol daeboreum, people would eat ogokbap with ingredients such as walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, and beans to provide them with adequate energy. Today, the concept of making ogokbap has been
changing. Koreans make ogokbap with many different kinds of grains that do not
necessarily mirror those traditionally used in the past. Ogokbap continues to be
enjoyed by Koreans for its nutritious and healthful benefits。This are the good ingredients for "bibimbap".

韩国人在元宵节前夕，家家户户也都会准备花生和核桃。根据传统习俗，吃了它，一年平安免生皮肤病；也会喝一些酒，一年内，听觉灵敏。
On the eve of lunar calender Jan 15, Korean will take walnuts and ground nuts too. According to the traditional custom, after eating nuts, this will prevent to get skin disease; Korean will also drink a cup of wine, in order to have good hearing through out the year.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

在韩国超级市场售卖的大豆芽，都非常的新鲜和爽口。除了凉拌，大豆芽汤，大豆芽饭，海鲜料理等，大豆芽都是经济又美味的烹调材料。。。。
Those soybean sprouts available at the Korean supermarket are very fresh and "crunchy". Soybean sprouts soup,soybean sprouts rice ,seafood cuisine,soybean sprouts are the economical and delicious cooking ingredient.
(This recipe is written in Chinese & English )

Method:
1. Trim the soybean sprouts' root.
2. Cook a pot of water ( is enough to cover the surface the of soybean sprouts), when the water is boiling,
add the soybean sprouts and toss well. If cooked too long, the soybean sprouts will become mushy;if
take them out from the water immediately, will have the soybean sprouts' odor.
3. Pour away the water, add in all the seasonings mix it well.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

这韩式糯米糕，韩国人称它为“Yak-sik”。传统的制作方法是把糯米放在蒸笼里蒸。但，我向大家介绍一种非常简易的方法，利用电饭锅来做糯米糕。。。。
In Korea, we call this glutinous cake as " Yak-sik". The traditional method to make this rice cake is to steam the glutinous rice in the steamer. But, I am going to introduce a very simple and easy method for you, use the electric rice cooker to make it.
(This recipe is written in Chinese & English )

Method:
1. Soak the glutinous rice in the water for about 3 hours, rinse and drain.
2. Cut each of the chestnut into 6; get rid of the seed, cut the red date into 4.
3.Put all the abovementioned seasonings in a small pot, boil the brown sugar till it melts.
4. Put the glutinous rice,chestnut,pine nut,red date and the boiled seasonings in the electric rice cooker.cook
it.
5. When well cooked, put the rice in the rectangle / square baking pan( before that,should brush one layer
of sesame oil on the pan), press it firmly, cut it into small pieces or the size as you want . Or you can put
the rice in the sushi mould, make the shape as you want.

如果是放在寿司模型，可参考以下的做法：
用刀切红枣的一边，不要切成两段，取出种子，然后将红枣卷起来，握紧。将它切成小片，这就成了红枣花。先将红枣花放在模型内。
If you are going to use the sushi mould, you can refer to the following method:
Use the knife to cut one side of the red date, don't cut it into two,take out the seed, roll the red date,hold it
firmly. Cut it into small pieces, then, it will become "flower". Put the flower in the mould.

放了红枣花后，然后放入糯米饭，压紧。
After putting the flower, put in the glutinous rice, press it firmly.